Master Builder of the Year - FMB builders are the best!
In troubled times, something to celebrate certainly lifts the spirits
A slightly shocked but jubilant Master Builder of the Year Kevin Ellis and his client Elaine Mulvihill
500 guests made up of FMB members, regional award winning builders and their clients, and FMB partners raised the roof when the 2008 Master Builder of the Year was announced at a dazzling ceremony at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London last month.
This was the ninth year that these awards have taken place. Hundreds of small and medium sized building firms entered this year and once again the standard of entries in each category had rocketed.
Guests were enjoying quiet pre-lunch drinks and gentle chat until a sudden explosion of drumming stunned everyone into silence. As the giant shutter doors rolled open the source of the noise was revealed – Bang On – a wildly energetic junk percussion duo with a giant homemade drum kit comprising dustbin lids, wheelie bins, a concrete mixer and a selection of buckets and oil drums. Thoroughly wide awake and excited, guests made their way to their seats and the Master Builder of the Year Awards 2008 began.
The best builders in the UK
The awards were a culmination of a six month search for the best builders in the UK. FMB Director General Richard Diment welcomed guests saying: “Today we are here to celebrate success as the industry faces its biggest challenge in recent years, as we find ourselves on the brink of a recession.”
He went on to say: “Every one of these winning projects has one thing in common – a delighted client - and the Master Builder of the Year awards give those clients an opportunity to support their builders.” He called on the Government to pledge its support for the industry by acting on the FMB ‘Five Point Plan’, to tackle the existing housing stock, reduce VAT on repairs and maintenance, simplify the planning system, abandon the Community Infrastructure Levy and reform Stamp Duty.
In keeping with the exciting start to the awards ceremony guests were then treated to an extraordinary light show by ‘Feeding the Fish’ appropriately called ‘Kaleidoscope’ - choreographed dance and state of the art technical juggling, dance and laser manipulation fused with cutting edge technology. They even incorporated the FMB logo onto their routine at the end of their show.
FMB National President, Ron Storer took the opportunity to thank all FMB award partners and to formally introduce Naomi Cleaver who presented the awards for the fi rst time this year. Naomi is perhaps best known as presenter of popular prime-time series on domestic design and decoration for Channel 4, and as part of her opening speech she said: “My job would be impossible to do without fine builders – builders who are also great administrators and brilliant ‘people’s people’ just like the stars of today’s event.
A line up of the very best of the best - National award winners and their clients
“Building is a team effort. Clients need to support their builders, and a well maintained property is still the best investment you can make, but the real value you get from a property is the pleasure you get from it by using it every day.
“Every builder here today has gone the extra mile, and this awards ceremony is a great chance for clients to thank their builders.”
The awards are organised across all 11 FMB regions, and a regional winner is chosen in each of the nine categories, to get this far is hugely significant. A national winner is then selected in from these winners, then one overall winner – the Master Builder of the Year - is chosen.
...And the winner is...
This year the Master Builder of the Year is Kevin Ellis of Ellis & Hughes of Leicester for the project he worked on for Elaine and Patrick Mulvihill. Between them, they had the imagination and skill to turn an ordinary 1960s house into a stunning, modern family home – on time and within budget. A full report will appear in the next issue of Master Builder.
The rewards
Kevin Ellis, as Master Builder of the Year won a Nissan Light Commercial Vehicle of his choice worth up to £20,000. His clients, Elaine and Patrick Mulvihill won £3,000 to spend on a holiday of their choice, courtesy of Barceló Hotels and Resorts. Every other national category award winning builder AND their clients can look forward to a luxury all inclusive weekend break at any Barceló Hotel in the UK. The Apprentice of the Year won £1,000 and the Investor in Workforce Training category won £500.
Find out more
Over the coming months, you will be able to read more about each winning builder and project in Master Builder magazine.
Nissan's Tony Lewis pledges his support for the next Master Builder of the Year awards
Thankyou
Ron Storer closed this magnificent event by thanking again all the FMB partners for their help and unwavering support for the best of British building. The FMB is delighted that Tony Lewis, Sales and Marketing Director of Nissan LCV pledged his support for the fifth year running, and Nissan will once again be lead sponsor for the next Master Builder of the Year awards.
The best of the very best
Not surprisingly, the Master Builder of the Year awards attract intense media attention with coverage in the national and local press, radio and TV. It confirms to the public the importance of the Federation of Master Builders, highlighting the achievements of the thousands of small and medium-sized building firms which form the backbone of the UK construction industry. Their work, though greatly appreciated by their clients, often goes unsung by the media, so what better way to redress the balance?
